Transition to Love
by leslie1
Summary: Christmas dinner with the gilmores always end up more entertaining than anyone imagines. *updated* L/L with a little of r/j.
1. Default Chapter

Lorelai ran around like a chicken without its head. Luke kept yelling "run this food to that table!!"  
  
"But you don't understand I can't I have to do something and I have to do it now."  
  
"just run this over to that guy, I don't have time to waste here."  
  
She did as she was told thinking that all she had to do was that one table. She runs back and he forces her to run food to another table. Finally she stops and looks at him and yells "You don't understand I can't run the food to the tables. I have to wake up." "So, wake up, what's stopping you?"  
  
Loralei sits up in bed and was confused as to where she was but realized that she was safe at home.  
  
"Rory, I had another dream."  
  
"ugh usually people dream when they are asleep. It isn't uncommon so why do you have to announce it to the world every time like it's the first to ever happen."  
  
"Luke was in it."  
  
"oh? dirty dream?"  
  
"No not at all. It was busy and I had to run food to tables but I was frustrated cuz I had something else to do instead but I kept running the damn food and finally I screamed out that I couldn't run food anymore cuz I had to wake up. And then he said 'so wake up' and I did. What does that mean?"   
"It meant that subconsciously you knew you needed to wake up."  
  
"Oh yea. You know you are really good at this analyzing thing."  
  
"No you just are obtuse when it comes to knowing yourself."  
  
Lor gasps "I know myself plenty my dear. I know myself better than anyone else."  
  
"No you don't. You think you know yourself but you have no idea."  
  
"This conversation is stupid. How can you say that I don't know me. I am with me all the time, I know what I like, I know my favorite color, and I even know my favorite food. I'm all knowing in the knowledge of me."  
  
"Well lets just drop this cuz I foresee this going into the direction of an argument and it's too early for that. Besides we have to get to Luke's before he stops serving breakfast. Now go get dressed and lets go.  
  
"Just admit that I know me and then I'll get ready."  
  
"Fine you know you, now scoot."  
  
30 minutes later they open the door to the diner and glances around to see chaos and lots of it.  
  
Loralei "whoa why is it so busy? I mean it's a mad house in here."  
  
Rory "I don't think I've ever seen it this packed. There isn't a single chair open. And Jess is even running around helping. You know it's crazy when Jess is helping out."  
  
"I think we stepped into the twilight zone, oh little one. Let's go out and then come back in maybe it will go back to normal."  
  
The step out and then step back in  
  
"Huh no change. What should we do ror?"  
  
Luke comes rushing up "maybe you could help, here take this to that table in the corner."  
  
He then pushes two plates toward her and glances at Rory.  
  
"You could help by refilling coffee, I'm going to go to the back and help Caesar cook."  
  
Lorelai "man he's bossy"  
  
Rory "yea but we better get hustling or we'll get fired"  
  
"OK but I don't think we technically got hired so how will we get fired. I think this is a volunteer program."  
  
They both started helping out right away. Lor ran the food and took care of the register and rory took care of the minor things such as refilling drinks, getting napkins, condiments, and prebussing the tables. Finally, things slowed down enough for them to breathe and clean up.   
  
Lor "What the hell was that! I have never seen it get this busy. Did you have a sale on bacon or something?"  
  
Luke "No it usually gets busy right before Christmas cuz people get too lazy to cook since they have to cook a big meal. I guess this year more people got lazy. I better go back and help Caesar clean up that ungodly mess we left in the kitchen."  
  
Jess "yea I have to go run some errands. Take 'er easy, and if she's real easy take her twice"  
  
Loralei rolls her eyes while rory gives him a quick kiss.  
  
Lor "huh interesting. Oh my god." she looks over at rory.  
  
"what, why are you looking at me like that?"  
  
"My dream. This was exactly my dream. I'm clairvoyant."  
  
"uh I don't think so mom."  
  
"What do you mean?!? This is totally the exact same thing as what I dreamed. I'm freakin Mrs. Cleo. Let me show you the way."  
  
"Except that you said you had to wake up and Luke said so wake up. Clearly not the same thing."  
  
"Well maybe I had to wake up so I could help Luke."  
  
"hm interesting. Did you ever wonder why you would be so in tuned to Luke's needs?"  
  
"Because he's my friend and we have a connection...a friendly connection."  
  
Rory snickers "sure whatever ya say."  
  
"What's that suppose to mean? And don't tell me the same crap sookie and Emily tells me cuz it's getting really old and is really starting to piss me off."  
  
"why?"  
  
"why what?"  
  
"why does it upset you. I mean if everyone is clearly wrong and you know it then you shouldn't get so mad but instead just shrug it off. Instead you get defensive and pissed."  
  
"cuz that is just the person I am."  
  
"hm OK then tell me this. Is sookie ever in your dreams and if so how often."  
  
"I don't know, I can't remember all the dreams that sookie was in. Hell I can't remember most of my dreams in the first place."  
  
"but you seem to remember the ones with Luke in it?"  
  
"Hey ya know maybe you should concentrate on making this place more suitable for the next customers."  
  
Rory knew that she was shutting down so she decided to just stay quiet and let those thoughts float around in her head. Eventually, her mom was going to actually listen to somebody but who knew when and who know who that person would be.  
  
"Well I'm now completely famished so lets get something to eat now. I'll just finish wiping down that table over there and we'll be done."  
  
"Ok hun, I'll just ask Luke if he can whip us something to eat. Are you still in the mood for breakfast or have your tastes changed to lunch?"  
  
"Hmm good question. I guess I'll take a cheeseburger, chili cheese fries, and hey would ya like to share an omelet?"  
  
"What kind?" Lorelai stared at her suspiciously.  
  
"Kind with lots of cheese and bacon on top."  
  
"ooh that does sound good. Ok I'll go tell him." She goes back to the kitchen and rattles off an order to Luke.  
  
"Who is this for?" Luke glanced at her, knowing full well that the order could only be for the gilmores.  
  
"Uh well, for customers. Yea they uh have been here for a while and they are really hungry so I would snap to it or they will get furious. We don't need unsatisfied customers now do we?"  
  
"It's for you and rory isn't it?"  
  
"What? Why would you think that? I'm appalled."  
  
"Only you two would order breakfast and lunch at the same time."  
  
"Well we came in here looking for breakfast and got roped into running a diner and now we are really really hungry seeing that we had to do manual labor and such so a cheeseburger and fries just won't do so we decided to split a lovely cheese omelet to cover all the basics of your daily meals." She had a big grin on her face knowing what he'll say next. "Now I know this stuff will kill me and blah blah blah but we saved your ass and you know it so no complaints or lectures about grease or caffeine or anything else you health freaks love to complain about."  
  
Luke just started laughing. "Are you done? Because your omelet is and you two can go ahead and start on this while I finish up the rest of your meal."  
  
"oh uh yea thanks."  
  
"Lor, thanks for helping out. You really didn't have to ya know even though I sorta forced you into it."  
  
"No problem, that's what friends are for."  
  
"uh yea" Luke looked a tad disappointed but only for a split second but Loralei noticed it.  
  
"Is everything ok? Cuz you had a flash of disapprovement in your eyes just then."  
  
"huh? oh...uh..I'm just tired that's all."  
  
"oh...Ok" She enters the dining area with her omelet. "Waaaa laaa we have breakfast. Grab some coffee and come over to the bar and join me will ya."  
  
"mmmmm nothin like a cheesy egg concoction with a pig laying right on top to make the day brighter."  
  
"You said it sister."  
  
Luke came from the back and dropped off the rest of their meal. He stalked up things that have deplinished cuz of the mad rush and the girls sat there and enjoyed their meals mostly in silence. When they had finished, Luke picked up there plates.  
  
Lor "mmmm that was heavenly, Luke."  
  
Rory "yea I don't think I have ever enjoyed a burger as much as that one."  
  
"Oh really? what about that one summer in 91? You know the day we tried to fast and lasted only 30 minutes."  
  
"hm I think it was better than that cuz this time we really were hungry where as last time as soon as we mentioned the word fast we were craving food. Why is that?"  
  
"It's survival. We got scared and had to eat something quickly."  
  
Luke "You two are nuts. You couldn't last 30 minutes in a fast? You know if you were stranded in the middle of nowhere you would never survive."  
  
"Why would we be in the middle of nowhere?"  
  
Rory "well I am going over to lane's for a bit. You two behave."  
  
"all right sweets have fun. So Luke, how are you?"  
  
"uh ok?"  
  
"well ya know Christmas is coming up, do you have any plans? Is Jess going to his mom's?"  
  
"No, I tried to convince him but he absolutely refused so I decided to just drop it." there was a brief pause "What do you get a kid like jess for Christmas? I should get him something but I've racked my brain and I can't think of anything."  
  
"Ya know, I still have to get rory some stuff so perhaps we could go shopping together."  
  
"Uh I don't know about that. Shopping isn't my forte but spending an entire day with you may cause me to lose my sanity."  
  
"Oh you know it won't be that bad. I'm a shopping expert and besides I have the advantage on getting Jess what he likes."  
  
"How is that? You don't even like the boy."  
  
"True but my daughter likes him. I can get secret information whereas you cannot."  
  
"Ok, so you want to meet me here tomorrow, say around 2?"  
  
"Sounds like a plan to me."  
  
Lorelai picked up her purse and headed out with a big grin. "see ya tomorrow." 


	2. Disturbed

A/N OK so I forgot the oh so important I don't own any of these characters before. oops. btw I don't own them. Now the last chapter didn't have anything really significant in it but see I didn't want them to jump their bones in the second paragraph so you have to be patient. mwahahaha  
  
  
  
Later that night  
  
Loralei hears the door open  
  
"Rory? Is that you?"  
  
"yea mom."  
  
"oooh good get in here I have something very important to ask you."  
  
Rory plops down on the couch. "OK what is it?"  
  
"what do you think Jess would like for Christmas?"  
  
Rory eyes at her strangely "May I ask you why?"  
  
"No"  
  
"What? Why not?"  
  
"I'm just kidding, I need to know for Luke. He needs to get something for him and I told him I would help out."  
  
"But you don't like Jess."  
  
"Yea but still, everyone deserves something for Christmas even if they are a delinquent. So fess up what you know already and write it down so I won't forget."  
  
"Well, you could get him the CD for Disturbed."  
  
"Disturbed? Sounds....disturbing."  
  
"Yea they are OK. Little rough around the edges for me but if you like that kind of thing then they are great."  
  
"Aw you are too sweet. You can't even diss a band properly."  
  
"Yea, yea whatever. Ok what else? Uh well you could get him a book but that doesn't feel like something Luke would get him."  
  
"No Luke doesn't feel like the type with knowledge of authors from Victorian periods."  
  
"Do what?"  
  
"What? I have no clue what I'm talking about. This is your field of expertise not mine."  
  
"Ok so umm clothes? Would Luke be the type to buy clothes?"  
  
"hmm perhaps. Every growing boy needs clothes. So what kind does he wear? Straight jacket. An orange jumper?"  
  
"Mom, if you don't behave I won't help"  
  
"Sorry. Ok well he doesn't seem like an ambercrombie and finch type of guy. More like a diesel jeans type of guy."  
  
"I can see him wearing those."  
  
"hm, I bet you can see him in nothing at all."  
  
Rory blushed "MOM! That isn't true. Let's just get back to the list shall we."  
  
"Ok so we got music, clothes and that's about it."  
  
"Oh he needs new shoes. The pair he has are really worn out. So write down. Brown doc martins. I don't know what size. You have to investigate that on your own."  
  
"You don't know his shoe size? I'm so proud of you."  
  
"Why is that?"  
  
"Well because, my dear sweet child, that means you and him haven't been together without his shoes on."  
  
"Why would he not have his shoes on?"  
  
"Think about it dear."  
  
Rory thinks for a while and is stumped.  
  
"I still don't get it."  
  
"That is so good to know. Ok back to the list. Shoes, clothes, and music, I think that about..."  
  
"Oh my god"  
  
"what?"  
  
"I just figured out what you meant by the shoes comment."  
  
"Wow hun you are really slow. Maybe you should go back to stars hollow high."  
  
"I'm not slow. Just not in the loralei gutter state of mind."  
  
"It's not a bad place to be. Ok so I think this should do it. Thanks babe."  
  
"So you are going to spend the whole day with Luke."  
  
"Well, not all day just a few hours I suppose."  
  
"Who's idea is this?"  
  
"Ummm, Luke's."  
  
Rory squinted her eyes trying to figure out if she was telling the truth. "You mean to tell me that Luke, Luke from the diner, the same guy that practically wears the same thing every single day asked you to go shopping with him?"  
  
"yea?"  
  
"I don't believe you."  
  
"Ok so it was my idea but don't you go getting any ideas on why it was my idea. got it."  
  
"No not really, but whatever." There was a brief pause before Rory added. "Do you know why I try to get you to notice Luke in the way that everyone else notices?"  
  
"No but I'm sure you are going to tell me anyway."  
  
"Well I always thought it would be nice if you and my dad got together because well, you know just to have a family."  
  
"Oh Rory, we are still a family, just not like a normal one or anything."  
  
"I know, but still. When that didn't happen I started thinking well maybe just maybe you and Luke would get together."  
  
Lor was speechless. 'Was her daughter actually telling her she wanted them to get together? Why? Did she get hit on the head?' "But I thought you said that you didn't want us together cuz then if we happen to break up we couldn't eat at the diner anymore."  
  
"When did I say that?"  
  
"A couple of years ago. Right before you got into chilton. Remember Luke had dressed up in a nice shirt cuz he had to go to the bank and talk to some banker guy about what I don't know and I mentioned later hey what about Luke and you said no."  
  
"How in the world do you remember that?"  
  
"I was on one of my best coffee highs I suppose."  
  
"Well anyway that was before, I was younger and didn't see the potential of you two getting together. Plus you weren't ready to move on and I think you are ready now."  
  
"Uh ok oh wise one. Well we aren't getting together so I'm sorry to burst your bubble. We are just friends. I am disturbed though that you have been thinking of me and Luke together."  
  
"Disturbed as in the group?"  
  
"Very"  
  
"It's not like I fantasize this everyday I just think Luke would make you happy and I really want to see you happy. Plus, I'm going away soon for college and I would hate to think you are stuck here all alone. Not to mention that I think of Luke as a father. He's always been there for the both of us. Nobody has been there more than he besides Sookie."  
  
"aww you are sweet." Lor stopped to think about what her daughter had just said and Rory waited for everything to settle in her mom's mind. "You know you don't have to worry about me when you leave for college right? I mean I'm the adult here, you don't have to take care of me."  
  
"I know"  
  
"And as for the Luke thing, well, first of all feelings go both ways and even if I had feelings for him in a romantic way, which I don't, it doesn't mean that he shares the same feelings."  
  
"Mom, if you saw what I saw you would disagree."  
  
"I don't know what you see but I know Luke and he doesn't have feelings for me." she sighed a really big sigh. "He wouldn't fall for somebody like me."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
Lor wasn't liking this conversation at all. It made her feel vulnerable. "because I annoy him. I eat the wrong things, I drink the wrong things, and I talk way too much. I needlessly pick on him or argue with him. And daily I go in there and revolt him."  
  
"Revolt? I don't think so mom. Trust me on this one. He may argue with you about what you eat and what you drink and even that you talk way too much but I think those are the things that he likes the most from you. I mean you are not the run of the mill chick and that excites him."  
  
"whoa ok this conversation has gone way too far. I think it's time for bed."  
  
"But it's only 8:30? Mom please don't freak over this. I hate it when you get upset especially when I'm the cause of it."  
  
"I'm not upset. I'm just tired. Really tired, and I have to get up early tomorrow and I had a long day today so I'm just going to go to bed early. Is that ok with you?"  
  
"Yea, that's fine. Just think about what I said."  
  
"Oh yea, sure."  
  
"Night"  
  
"Night"  
  
The next day Lorelai stopped by Luke's and they went off to the mall to try there hand at getting Jess some gifts.  
  
Luke "ok so the first thing on the list are the shoes. So lets go to the shoe place first."  
  
"Shoe place? Boy you really are new at this shopping thing. There are several different shoe places. That one over there looks like they'll have the ones we are looking for. So may I ask a question?"  
  
"Depends on the question." He picks up a shoe but puts it down and looks around some more.  
  
"Why doesn't Jess want to go home? I mean I know things weren't picture perfect but it's still his mom."  
  
"Liz is the type of person to not actually know what she is doing to somebody else. She can't see the big picture." There was a moment where he tried to decide the right words. "She has made a lot of mistakes and one of them is that she didn't treat Jess the way he should have been treated. She loved him but love isn't always enough. you know?"  
  
"Uh yea I know."   
  
"So he got stuck raising himself for the most part plus taking care of her. I guess you just get to a point where you have had enough and you just can't stand doing all the work. From what I get, he's had it pretty rough. He's a good kid but once you have been disappointed as much as he has you just start to give up on trying to be nice to people. Uh I'm rambling." He starts to look nervous. "That was exhausting. How do you do that all the time." He snickers and turns to her.  
  
"Do you think I talk too much?"  
  
"Where did that come from?"  
  
"You just mention that I talk a lot. That's where it came from."  
  
"Yea sure you talk a lot and you ramble on about things that I have no clue what you are talking about but that all has to do with your charm. You wouldn't be loralei without it."  
  
"hm. That's sad about Jess. I guess I should give him more slack but it will take some work. It's good that he has you. Everyone should have somebody like you."  
  
He starts to get fidgety "yea well everyone should have somebody like you also." He finally finds some shoes and goes up to pay for them.  
  
Her face gets all red and hot, she looks away so he doesn't notice her blushing.  
  
"Yea right. Someone who is crazy, unhealthy and rambles on and on."  
  
"What are you talking about? Where is this coming from?"  
  
"Oh nothing and nowhere. So you never answered my question from before."  
  
"What question is that?"  
  
"Do you and Jess have plans for Christmas?"  
  
"When did you ask that?"  
  
"Yesterday."  
  
"And this just pops into your head now? I don't think I will understand how your mind works." He says with a chuckle. "I guess we'll open presents and eat."  
  
"Just the two of you?"  
  
"yup"  
  
"Well, how about this. You two stop by our place. We'll celebrate everything that is holy and eat a lot and open gifts and sing carols. You know the same ole same ole."  
  
"I'm not singing."  
  
"oh come on it should be fun and you could bring your guitar. The acoustic one of course cuz we don't have an amp so the electric one would be useless."  
  
"How do you know I have a guitar?"  
  
"uh hello? I've been to your place and it isn't like you hid it in a secret spot or anything. You left it out in plain sight and I noticed it. Almost said something when I saw it but I was preoccupied or something, I don't know I can't remember everything but I have been waiting for the right moment to bring it up and now seems like the right time to mention."  
  
"huh"  
  
By this time they were in the music store. Loralei ran across that CD that Rory mentioned.  
  
"Oh god this group really does look disturbed. I guess the name fits then. Ok so got the shoes, got the CD, let's pay and move on to the clothes. So are you coming or not?"  
  
"I don't know I should ask Jess first. He doesn't really like when I make plans without consulting first."  
  
"wow and you are actually going with what he prefers? When did that start happening?"  
  
"It's a new thing I am starting. Actually I just don't want to start a fight and this is one way to avoid one all together."  
  
"Good Idea. Just tell him Rory wants him there and he'll be more than happy to be included in the joyous holidays."  
  
"Actually I think he'll be happier that you invited him."  
  
"really, why?"  
  
"Cuz he thinks you hate him. Therefor if the person you think hates you invites you, it makes going into their home a lot easier."  
  
"I don't hate him, I just don't trust him."  
  
"To him it's the same thing."  
  
"ok well give me a call when you find out the answer, k? Man we sure did get a lot of stuff. And it's all mixed together."  
  
"We'll divide it at the diner."  
  
"I had fun today. We should do this more often."  
  
"We should go shopping more often?"  
  
"No not just shopping, I mean hang out outside of the diner."  
  
"Oh"  
  
"It was just a thought."  
  
"Yea well why not. Oh yea cuz then gossip would spread through the town like wild fire. That's why."  
  
"Since when do you care what the towns thinks of you."  
  
"I don't"  
  
They finally arrive at the diner and they both get their stuff out and start separating it back in the storage so Jess and Rory wouldn't walk in on them.  
  
"ok so I guess that's it." Lor looks at him and then glances away  
  
"Yup looks like it."  
  
Loralei turns around and tries to open the door but it won't open. It seemed that they were locked in. She panicked and tried and tried but no luck.  
  
"Uh we seem to be locked in."  
  
Luke goes over to the door standing really, really close to her and gazes down into her eyes. Her legs start to feel all jiggley like jello.  
  
"You have to turn it a certain way." Suddenly the door opens up.  
  
"Oh....uh yea that would work wouldn't it." Embarrassed and completely humiliated she leaves the storage room wondering why she felt like she did. 'maybe it has been a while since I've been close to a guy. yea that's it.'  
  
"uh lor don't you think you should take your bags?"  
  
"Right, yea sorry bout that. So uh see ya later. Don't forget to ask Jess."  
  
"Don't worry I'll ask. Shouldn't be a problem at all."  
  
"ok, Thanks for today. I had a blast."  
  
"yea loads of fun battling the evils of the Christmas crowd."  
  
"Such a pessimist."  
  
"Bye, loralei."  
  
"oh a poet and ya didn't know it." She gave him a quick wave and waltzed out of the diner. She felt good. Better than she had felt in days. Luke always knew how to make her happy. She made it home, hid rory's presents under her bed. She thought about putting them in the closet but she knew that would be a very bad idea. 


	3. dinner

A/N Ok sorry it took so long to update this but inspiration doesn't come around everyday and lazyness is always around. In my horoscope it says that I will be more creative the next few days so I should get caught up on at least this one and have a couple chapters up soon. Yay for those stars. I noticed that there are a few parts that seem cheesy, sorry. there was nothing I could do about that. It comes from my dad's side of the family. Blame it on him.  
  
I don't own these people. Technically you can't own people just ideas. anywho don't sue me.  
  
Later that evening  
  
Luke: "Hey where ya goin?"  
Jess: "out"  
"No wait a minute I have to ask you something."  
Jess rolls his eyes "what now?"  
"Well Lorelai invited us over to her house and I wanted to know if you wanted to go."  
"You mean Lorelai invited you and knowing I'm part of the Luke package decided that I could tag along."  
"No she didn't."  
"yea right"  
"No really she asked if you could come."  
Jess eyes him skeptically "What? Is she going to poison my food or something?"  
"Now I will say that Lorelai has a lot of faults but I don't see murderous as one of them. Plus, if she kills you then Rory would be fuming at her and she hates to fight with her kid."  
Jess smirks and thinks about it for a bit. "Well I guess I could go. Just watch my back for me, k?"  
"You're so over-dramatic."  
At the gilmore residence  
  
Lorelai is running around trying to pick up the mess that has been created since the last time the cleaned the house.   
  
"Rory?? When was the last time we cleaned this pig sty?"  
"I don't know. When was the last party?"  
"Ummm your birthday? Yea, it was definitely your birthday."  
"Wow that's not too bad then. I mean it wasn't like it was years ago but it sure does feel like it."  
"Why don't we hire a maid. Ooooh or better yet let's just steal my mom's. It's not like she'll notice. She'll probably just thinks she fired her but see she would still be on the payroll so she'll will be no charge to us at all. We could get a rag with chloroform on it and drag her off into my jeep and off we go."  
"hm right or we could just clean up this mess ourselves. Besides grandma isn't going to keep paying someone she thinks she fired and the maid will be too scared of us to clean."  
"Bah humbug"  
"Start cleaning missy or I'm gonna stick this feather duster somewhere you won't like."  
Lorelai gasps "is that what they teach you in that big fancy school? I swear I have the right to pull you right on out of there so you keep that away from my bum."  
Rory starts laughing "Funny I meant you ear cuz it would tickle but I guess that works too."  
"oh well that isn't so bad. Is it break time yet?"  
"No mom we just started. But I tell you what, once we finish with the living room we'll go to Luke's and grab a coffee to go and then come back and do the kitchen. Deal?"  
"wow you're strict. How about you do all the work and I, the parent, supervise you to see if you are doing it right?"  
Rory gives her a look that could shoot daggers.  
"ok ok WE will do the work. meanie"  
Few hours later Lorelai and Rory waltz into the diner and plops at the bar.   
Lor: "must"  
Rory: "have"  
both "coffee"  
Luke "What the hell is wrong with you two?"  
Lor "I have been slaving away working my skin to the bones cleaning that mansion of ours."  
Rory "and I have been doing the same thing but more cuz she whined the entire time"  
"did not"  
"did to"  
Luke "ok here's two coffee's just stop with the childness"  
"oh my, coffee without the hassle. When did I ever deserve this"  
"I'm sure you get lots of things without deserving it."  
"I'm outraged. It's true but I don't like hearing the awful truth."  
Rory: "So you can't handle the truth?"  
"No jack, I can't"  
"That wasn't the characters name?"  
"No but Jack Nickolson played it hence me calling you Jack. I can't recall what the characters name is at the moment and since my wit is supposedly fast I just called you what I remember and that's jack."  
"You pretty much said all you know is jack. How funny. Hey Luke where's Jess?"  
"Out."  
"I'm going to go look for him. I'll meet you back at home."  
"Ok but you better hurry. That kitchen isn't going to clean itself. Wouldn't that be great though if it did."  
"yea maybe pierpont will come alive and get the urge to do dishes." She kiss her mom on the cheek and waves to Luke.  
"bye"  
"see ya wouldn't want to be ya."  
Luke: "that's such an old expression"  
Or: "yea well I am thinking of bringing it back into my everyday life again."  
"great I'm so looking forward to that."  
their was a brief pause   
"so did you ask Jess?"  
"Uh yea...yea I did. He thinks you are going to poison him."  
"silly kid"  
"He said he would go."  
"are you going to taste his food before he eats it?"  
"Don't have to."  
"Oh? cuz you know I'm a really good person?"  
"No cuz I know you aren't cooking it."  
"Ya know you can still poison take out."  
"you are too lazy to go through that much trouble."  
"ok ya got me there. Did you wrap his presents?"  
"yep....or at least as best as any man can wrap presents."  
"That's good. Um I guess I should go."  
"Is everything all right?"  
"what do you mean?"  
"well you just seem un-lorelai-like"  
"un-lorelai-like? wow did you just make up a word? I didn't know you had it in you. I should write that one down."  
"yea yea mock all you want. You just seem not yourself."  
"who do I seem like?"  
"I don't know but you aren't as chatty as usual."  
Lor: "He says this at the end of our conversation ladies and gents. Um hello I have too been chatty."  
"That's not what I mean. You haven't been chatty as in a Lorelai chatty sort of way where I can barely get two words in."  
"I thought you hated it when I ramble on and on."  
"I never said that."  
"Oh I'm sorry I guess the moans and the eye rolls are signs of enjoyment." Lorelai starts to get slightly hostile. "Ya know I'm not all that predictable I can change but no everyone thinks I'm just this flighty person who loves to hear herself talk. I'm not always that person."  
"hey hey, what's with the anger? I didn't mean to imply that you were one dimensional cuz lemme tell you, you are anything but one dimensional."  
"Sorry, I'm just....I don't know. I have to go clean the kitchen now. Thanks for the coffee." She lays a 5 on the counter "Keep the change."  
  
Lorelai walked home and realized that it was snowing. She wasn't in the greatest mood to completely enjoy it but it did lift her spirits some. She tried to figure out why she was so sensitive and cared so much of what Luke thought of her. She finally arrived home and noticed her daughter had not arrived yet. She quietly started working on the kitchen. Pretty soon she was standing back staring at a sparkling kitchen just as the front door opened and slammed shut.  
  
"Mom?? ya here?"  
"In the kitchen."  
"Wow it's really coming down out there. We better hurry and get the food before it gets to heavy and they close. Oh you cleaned the kitchen already? You should have waited for me."  
"eh it's ok I was suddenly in the cleaning mood so I figure I would take the opportunity before it dissipated."  
"And here I thought you would be out playing in the snow."  
"Well I got a chance to watch it snow while I did the dishes."  
"Sorry I wasn't here earlier."  
"It's ok. You will however make up for it by going to get dinner now. Here's some money and I'm going to finish putting up the decorations and get ready myself."  
"I'll be back shortly."  
"I hope you come back the same height as you left."  
"ha ha very funny."  
"be safe"  
"I will"  
  
Once the gilmores were ready and the house was perfect Luke and Jess showed up.  
  
Lorelai opened the door quickly "Right on time boys. Come in, come in and make yourselves at home just be sure to put the toilet seat back down when you use it."  
Luke and Jess walked in and looked around at all the decorations.  
Luke: "Wow you really went all out didn't you? I brought the guitar but only cuz if I'm playing then I'm not singing. Understood?"  
Lor: "yea yea understood. You can put that in the living room by the chair. Jess, why don't you go ahead and put the gifts under the tree?"  
Jess: "uh yea sure."  
rory: "hey Jess." she leans over and gives him a quick kiss. "let me help you with those."  
"thanks. Man there sure is a lot of gifts."  
"Yea mom loves to give people stuff. She feels the more she gives the more she receives."  
"Now that's the Christmas spirit"  
  
Luke and Lorelai are in the kitchen preparing everything so it doesn't look like it just came out of a bag.   
Lor "There, looks almost home made now doesn't it."  
Luke: "How very Sara lee of ya."  
"I try"  
"Thank you for inviting us."  
"It was no problem at all. It's nice to have more than just two people celebrate the holidays. What better people to spend it with than one of my best friends and rory's boyfriend?"  
"yea the kid ya wanna kill."  
"Man you people make me out to be some evil being. What is up with that? I wish no bodily harm to the boy. yet."  
"right"  
"Ok well I say that dinner is ready." she yells out "Kids dinner's ready." Looks back at Luke and smiles. "Wow that was a family moment there." She tries to laugh off that awkward moment that should have been more awkward but in some ways felt more right than anything ever before.  
  
Dinner went relatively smoothly. Jess and Lorelai didn't speak to each other much but they didn't not get along. All the while outside it still was snowing very heavily and no one had noticed the amount of snow that had accumulated. 


	4. Storm Stories

Lorelai, Luke, Rory, and Jess all sit back and let out a big sigh from being so full.   
  
Luke: "wow I'm so full I don't think I'll be able to move in a week."  
Jess: "me too"  
Lorelai: "Give me five minutes and I'll be ready for pie."  
Rory: "no way could you be ready to eat in 5 minutes! I eat like you do and even I'm too full to think about food for at least an hour."  
"oh dear sweet child of mine. You have so much to learn. I am an experience eater so therefore my stomach can digest faster."  
Luke "In what medical journal does that say."  
"The Lorelai journal"  
"You are going to kill yourself one of these days from an explosive stomach."  
"oh really? I bet you 20 bucks that I can eat a piece of pie in the next three minutes."  
"why so you can prove my point and die?"  
"No so I can live up to the gilmore standards of the Christmas feast."  
"You don't have to prove anything to us. We all know you are a pig."  
"Pig? Did you just call me a Pig?"  
Rory: "In all fairness, mom you did call our house a pig sty earlier."  
"Calling a house a sty is one thing but to insult a person. Well that's just.....that's just wrong." She started laughing and putting on her best southern bell voice she could muster.  
Luke "all right so I was a bit harsh. You aren't a pig, you're a lover of foods."  
"dirty"  
Jess: "JEESH!!! Would you two give it up already. I swear if I have to hear you two flirt this entire time I'm going to blow my head off with a shot gun!!" Realizing he just exploded and that he wasn't exactly on his turf he backed down quickly.  
  
Lorelai: "well don't let me stop you."  
Rory: "Mom! That wasn't a very christmassy thing to say."  
Luke: "Jess, what did I say before. To be on your best behavior but you couldn't last till the presents could you? Now I want you to apologize right now."  
Jess just rolled his eyes. "whatever." He got up and stormed into rory's room slamming the door. Rory quickly got up and followed him into her room.  
  
"I'm so sorry Lorelai. I don't know what got into him. I..we..shouldn't have come. I'll just collect our coats and be on our way."  
"No wait. I don't want to you go. Just give me 2 minutes with him to see if I can straighten him out."  
"Uh well are you sure about that? I really think we should just go."  
"No he was hostile before because he didn't think I liked him so I should go talk to him. Just promise me one thing."  
"I'm scared to ask but what?"  
"Don't interrupt us. No matter who yells what let us get it out."  
Luke didn't like this one bit. He knew Jess and he didn't know why he blew up and he didn't think getting a lecture from Lorelai would help much but seeing as nothing could make it worse he decided to let them duke it out. "sure. Just don't strangle him."  
"oh I'm going to do something much worse than strangling. I'm gonna make him have a conversation."  
  
Meanwhile in the bedroom.  
  
Rory: "Jess, why did you just blow up like that?" "I just couldn't take the flirting anymore."  
"They were just doing the usual banter stuff. They do that everyday and you don't blow up then."  
"Well it was starting to build up."  
"I think you should apologize to both of them."  
"Oh come on ror. What good is that going to do? They are still going to be mad. An apology won't erase anything."  
"No but it will fix things. It's the right thing to do."  
"Oh right. You should know too cuz you are miss perfect. Miss I do everything right so everyone will love me."  
"Jess what has gotten into you?"  
"nothing. Can I just be alone?"  
  
Just then Lorelai opened up the door and was standing there with her arms folded leaning against the door frame.  
  
"Rory I need to speak to Jess. Alone."  
Rory: "uh yes ma'am." She looks at lor and then at Jess and walks out. "Luke? Has she gone in there to kill him?" "I hope not cuz then it was a waste to feed him"  
  
Lorelai slowly closed the door and paced back and forth in front of the door.  
  
Jess: "you do realize I could just climb out the window."  
"I would catch you before you got away."  
"So what is this, an interrogation?"  
"Interesting how you decided to run into my daughters bedroom. Get a good look cuz I don't want you in here again."  
"Is that suppose to scare me?"  
"I'm not here to scare you. I'm here to get this splinter out from between us."  
"How very metaphoric of ya."  
"So what's your deal? Why the constant attitude? Cuz If I were the punk dating a well beloved girl I would at least try to make nice with her mom but you seem to be a true rebel and still disrespect me. In my own home no less. So what is it?"  
"No deal I just don't suck up to people no matter who they are related to."  
"ah how noble." She realized she may have been going at this the wrong way. "you do know I don't hate you."  
"Yea right. You've disliked me since the beginning and now that I'm dating rory you are going to continue to dislike me even more. And don't give me this bullshit where you say 'no I just don't trust you' cuz that's a load and you know it. You don't trust me cuz you don't like me, end of story."  
"you know you carry around this big attitude against me like I did something to you well let me tell you that I am not the cause of this. Sure I'm the adult and should take the high road but screw the high road you never respected me so in turn I never respected you. If you would just put down that chip on your shoulder you might be able to make a friend here or at least a lasting relationship."  
"Why would I want you to be my friend? And even more important why would you be my friend? This is all completely stupid! You act like we can just shake hands and be best buds and skip down the street. That's not me so stop trying."  
"I don't think that we will ever be best buds but I do think that by working together we could learn from each other. Of course what, I don't know since I'm not a big reader or anything. But I'm sure we could find some common ground to start from."  
"Why?"  
"What do you mean, why?"  
"Why are you trying to be my buddy."  
"Because us fighting isn't fair to Luke and Rory. And I'm willing to put my pride to the side for their sake."  
Just at that moment the lights went out.  
Lor: "What in the hell?"  
Luke calls out: "The lights went out."  
Lor: "Oh thank god we have a man here to point out the obvious but why?"  
Luke: "I think with all the snow and ice something must have happened to the power lines."  
"snow can't destroy the lights. Snow is our friend. It's magical."  
Jess: "I guess it just lost it's magic. Oh jeez would ya look at that."  
Lor: "Holy shamoly that's a lot of snow. There must be 5 feet out there."  
Luke: "Not quite 5 feet but if it keeps going like it is it won't be long before it will get there. Do you have wood for the fire place?"  
Rory: "yea we have some in that basket thingy next to the fire place."  
Luke: "I know about that. I meant more wood and hopefully kept in a dry place."  
Lor: "oh yea it's outside next to the porch."  
"but there is snow there? That means all the wood is wet."  
"Oh no the guy who drops it off always makes sure there is a tarp covering it to keep it dry."  
Jess: "You have a guy that gives you wood?"  
Lor: "well yea. I mean could you see one of us chopping and stacking wood?" Lorelai and Rory both him big puppy dog eyes.  
Jess: "No I can't even fathom that."  
Luke: "Well looks like we're going to have to dig through the snow to get to the wood. Jess, I'm going to need your help. Lorelai, I think we should keep a bunch of wood in the house so we don't have to go out there to reload so where should we keep it?"  
"Oh um, I guess in the kitchen would be fine. Rory and I will make sure there is a spot cleared on the floor."  
  
The guys worked outside while the girls cleared the table and then moved the table to the corner so there would be enough room. Luke informed her to make sure she grabbed a couple pots (although she had no clue why), turn the water on so it was just more than drizzle, and make sure that everything she needed from the kitchen was out. She also collected all the blankets and pillows, moved the couch so it was facing towards the fireplace but far back enough that there was barely enough room to get to the stairs. She knew that they were all going to be stuck in the living room for quite some time and wanted to make sure that there was enough room for all four people to be comfortable.   
  
Luke and Jess came in after spending what seemed like forever out in the snow.  
  
Luke: "We should get a fire started now or it will get really cold in here. In fact we should have done that the first moment we lost power."  
Jess: "man I'm frozen. I've never seen a blizzard like this one."  
Lorelai: "It looks really bad out there. I would make up some coffee or hot chocolate for ya guys but in order for me to do that I need electricity."  
Rory: "How long do you think the power will be out?"  
Jess: "well, one time in Canada there was this massive ice storm and everybody lost power for months I think. I know it was a long time and there were even deaths. It was real awful."  
Lorelai: "I think we just ruled out motivation speaker for you."  
Rory: "Yea next time we are in a crisis remind me not to ask you for good news."  
Jess: "Sorry, I was watching the weather channel the other day and Storm Stories was on."  
  
Luke walks back in from starting the fire.  
"ok well I got it started. We'll have to keep an eye on it for a while so you two stay in the living room and try to stay warm. If the flames look too low and appear to be going out get one of us. I don't want you to mess with it."  
Rory: "aye aye sir"  
Lor: "You don't think we could handle a fire?"  
Luke: "uh no."  
Lor. "I have you know that I can get a pretty damn good fire started. Just throw a couple magazines in there with some lighter fluid and light that baby up."  
"Do you know how incredibly dangerous that is?"  
"Gets the job done so why complain."  
"Rory, you are in charge while I'm gone."  
Rory grins from ear to ear while Lorelai just stands there with her mouth agape.  
"I'm not going to take this abuse."  
Luke: "Come on Jess let's get this done so we can get warm again."  
After an hour of moving wood into the kitchen Luke decides they had a sufficient amount. He made sure the rest of the wood was carefully covered and went inside. Jess was already in the living room trying his best to get his body to room temp.  
  
Rory: "Aw you poor baby. You're lips are even blue." She sits real close to him rubbing his arms helping him get back to normal.  
Jess: "I'll be...ok....in a....bit." He said in between shivers.  
  
Even Luke the big manly man was blue and shivering.  
  
Lorelai: "Here lets wrap you up in blankets. First take off anything that's wet. You too, Jess. We'll find something for you to wear."   
Rory: "I think we have a couple of dad's shirts upstairs but I don't know about sweatpants."  
Lor: "there is one pair so Luke can have those. Jess can wear one of mine. They should fit, at least the ones that are really baggy on me."  
  
Rory runs up stairs to collect the clothes when her batteries die and she tumbles over a pile of clothes her mom had.   
  
"Are you ok up there?"  
"yea mom just ran out of light. Ok here we go, nice dry clothes." Just then she notices Jess in just his boxers and she looks away but not after she has a lingering glance. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know you were practically naked. Mom why is my boyfriend practically naked in my living room."  
"well hun not only is your boyfriend in his skivvies so is his uncle so could you throw the clothes over here."  
  
Everything happened in a blur while Rory went upstairs. All Lorelai knew was that she saw them soaking wet so she told them to take off the wet articles and they did. Turns out everything was wet including their underwear but neither Luke nor Jess was going to take it that far. Both feeling very vulnerable and Lorelai gawking a bit too much and Luke in the nude, or at least almost nude, and yet Luke didn't care seeing as he was so cold he thought all the shivering would finally break his spinal cord. Needless to say both guys were thrilled to have clothing again.  
  
Lor: "well that was an adventure."  
Luke "uh yea."  
Jess "sure was"  
Rory "yes indeed"  
  
Everyone was just a bit embarrassed about the previous encounter so no one said anything for a while. They just sat there and tried to get warm.  
  
Lor: "Hey we still have presents to open!"  
Luke "I'm not really in the Christmas mood at the moment."  
Rory: "Me either."  
Jess: "I don't know, it sounds like fun."  
  
Everyone was in total shock and just stared at him.  
  
Jess "what?"  
Lor: "well, first of all you just agreed with me and secondly you said the word fun and thirdly you sound excited about Christmas festivities."  
"yea well I just thought it might get our minds off the current situation. Plus there might be a sweater in there."  
A/N Next chapter isn't so dramatic as this one was. Hopefully I'll post that one soon. 


End file.
